In Search of Strength

11/26
Beltless highbar: 4 x 315x5, 315x10

11/27
Bench to 8th pin: 375x2
Bench: 275x8, 275x7, 275x5

Not a strong day. I can always tell when my back off work drops reps that quickly.

11/29
Beltless highbar: 5 x 325x5

11/30
OHP partials: 205x3, 215x3, 225x5

I'm doing these standing but it's awkward because of my set up. I'll try kneeling next time. My squat j-hook height should be good for the safeties instead.

Anyway, I feel that I can push press anything I can lockout and hold above my head. Which is not a lot. I missed 265 with my arms basically locked a couple of times, so instead I'm going to zero-in on lockout strength until I can at least e1RM my PR goal (or maybe just go for the single). Then I can chip away at the push press. Push presses themselves are a bit high impact, so I don't mind ducking them a bit while I'm trying for the 375 bench single.

Really should start DB rows and scap work now.

12/01
Beltless highbar: 5 x 335x5

The latest:

Warm up: even pigeon stretch, IR stretch + rotations, hip airplane, bridge leg extensions, IR knee drops, cossack squats

Squats: black microband, balance towards heels, look forwards not down

12/02
Bench to 8th pin: 375x4, 375x3
Incline bench: 225x9, 2 x 225x8
Dumbbell row: 100x12, 120x12, 150x10

Two heights left to go until an attempt at a full ROM bench single. Looking for x3 at 9th pin and x2 at 10th pin.

12/04
Beltless highbar: 5 x 345x5

The band around knees helps, but I had a hard time staying even after a few sets today, and then taking the band off helped. Probably my lateral rotators are fatiguing if I try to use it the whole session. Maybe I should switch to only warming up with it and doing the working sets normally. Something to think about.

The warm up from 12/01 still working great. I added some side leaning IT stuff too.

OK, odds of 375 this year are very good. Only one pin height left to go before the single. Going for 375x2.

12/05
Bench to 9th pin: 375x3
Bench: 3 x 275x9

Lowering volume and upping intensity a bit.

12/07
Bench: 345x1

12/08
Beltless highbar: 5 x 355x5

Not great today. Same warm up as usual. Have some issues with left glutes.

edit:
- maybe try BSS w/ 1 plate warm up.
- maybe band pull throughs... I'd rather those.
- warm up w/ tempo pause squats focusing on glutes
- light day as lighter tempo squats? or BSS? or bridges?

12/09
Bench: 345x1

Waiting for that session where I feel good and the warm ups are easy. Today was worse than Friday.

12/12
Bench: 345x1, 375x0, 325x2

Time to regroup a bit. I still have a shot this month but my biggest enemy is stupid programming decisions and mis-peaking by chasing it too hard.

12/12 - Part 2
Front squat: 2 x 315x3, 335x4

Feels great to do front squats again! It's been a long time.

12/13
Bench: 325x2
Push ups: 3 x BWx30

Bit of awkward pain and tenderness in the right pec, need to back off a bit. Maybe incline or even just overhead work for a bit. Did push ups for blood flow.

Right pec still hurts

12/16
Incline bench: 225x3, 245x3, 265x2, 265x1
Low bar squat: 500x5

Right pec still hurts. I'm hoping incline is a safe workaround. It feels okay during. Probably some vertical pressing next time.

12/18
Incline bench: 225x3, 245x3, 255x3, 265x3, 135x22
Triceps kickbacks: 15x10, 25x10, 35x12, 45x12, 45x12
Push ups with arms on box: BWx50

12/19
Front squats: 315x5, 335x5, 355x5
Strict DB row w/ pause: 3 x 105x12

Just noticed I forgot to log the 14th:

12/14
Beltless highbar: 5 x 365x5

12/20
Overhead press partials: 225x5, 245x4, 2 x 245x5

12/22
Beltless highbar: 5 x 375x5
Pause bench w/ original slingshot: 315x(ouch) (aka 3 reps)
Pause incline bench w/ original slingshot: 225x3, 245x3, 255x1

Still hurts to bench. Guess I gotta stay away from all flat pressing until this is better. Even the unracking gets me.

I think incline is okay, and all overhead pressing too. I'm not actually going to use the slingshot for incline much, just wanted to play around with it since flat bench was out.

12/26
Low bar squat: 515x5

12/27
Push press: 225x1, 245x1, 265x1, 275x0
Snatch grip row w/ 3-ct pause: 45x8, 95x8, 135x8, 185x8, 195x8, 220x8
Snatch pull: 220x1, 275x1, 310x2

12/28
Front squat: 2 x 315x5, 365x5
Front squat walkouts: 3 x 405x(10 counts)

12/29
Incline bench: 3 x 235x6
Bench: 135x30
Face pulls: a bunch

Maybe incline bench isn't good for my shoulder either. I feel it on the unrack. It's not bad, but it might be enough to keep me injured. This latest bench injury is a huge pain. It's not bad but it's pervasive and persistent.

I did a bunch of shoulder mobility and tissue work after too.

12/30
Beltless highbar: 5 x 385x5
Hypers: 3 x 25x30
Band pull aparts: a bunch

Whoo-wee, the 5x5 linear progression on high bar is getting tough. My goal is to hit 405, and it'll definitely be a challenge.

I've been watching a ton of Clarence stuff. Especially with Juji. Motivating as hell. I'm barely dying on these 5x5s, so really I've got no excuse here.

12/31
Overhead press: 2 x 175x5, 175x7
Face pulls: 3 x (purple band)x20
Stupid band flys: a bunch
Supinated front raises: 3 x 15x20

Trying stuff out to see how the shoulder likes it. It's a malevolent deity that demands obscure sacrifices. All I want is a bit of rain on my crops this year. For now I've got the "two steps forwards, two steps back" angle down pat.

Also I'll talk about last year and this year a bit.

Last year: I had big goals but got a really bad lower body injury. The worst of my long lifting career yet. I could still bench but I got discouraged when a sports med told me not to arch (use my legs) for a while. I managed to turn it around starting in November, and things have been okay lately. Unfortunately, now I've got a persistent bench injury. Anyway, that's fine. I'll push my overhead and triceps strength as much as I can.

This year: I'd like to not get majorly injured again, but you know. I'm going for 600/405/700 @ 230lbs or lighter. Also I want to front squat 475 and push press 315. A 550 beltess highbar would be nice, but I just want to get that one stronger however much.

My body weight is around 213 in the mornings lately. With squatting around 515x5, I assume 600x1 will be easy if I don't get another massive injury. The deadlift will follow squat. The big question mark is bench. I'm at about 365x1 at the moment, ignoring the injury, so it'll be quite a climb. The additional body weight would help a lot. Not sure about front squat or push press either, but I'll do my best there.

Charles do you wear briefs? Might help take a little pressure off the hips.

01/01
Low bar squat: 530x4
Front squat holds: 3 x 495x(20 seconds)
Face pulls: 3 x (black band)x20
Band front raises: a bunch

[QUOTE=Atom1980;1570039411]Charles do you wear briefs? Might help take a little pressure off the hips.[/QUOTE]

I thought about it, but got mixed advice elsewhere. I was thinking of something like the Inzer Power Pants, actually. I think they're a bit tamer than full on briefs... more about warmth and a bit of support. Any thoughts? Have you tried it?

I haven't used those but I am planning on getting a pair in the future. Just got a new power belt so I will have to wait.
Not sure about the Inzer power pants but I would think they sound like they have some type of support.

I did a lot of light rehabby stuff the past few days. Hypers, face pulls, adductor work, and more. Mostly forgot the exact work, so I can't log it, unfortunately.

Going to try gently reintroducing bench press today. Keeping it light and high volume.

01/04
Bench press: 135x8, 3 x 135x20
Seated OHP partials w/ 5-count hold: 135x5, 4 x 185x4
Supinated band pull aparts: 3 x (black band) x 15
Band front raises: a bunch
Lu raises: 3 x 10x10
YTWs: 3 x 5x(10-15)

edit: notable stretches were dislocates, plate in the standing tris extension position, and this weird elbow roll over a barbell in the rack. Also remember high bar front rack, hand behind back, and high bar elbows high.

[QUOTE=Atom1980;1570145311]I haven't used those but I am planning on getting a pair in the future. Just got a new power belt so I will have to wait.
Not sure about the Inzer power pants but I would think they sound like they have some type of support.[/QUOTE]

Haha, there's always [i]something[/i] to buy, eh? I'll let you know if I end up trying it out.

01/06
Belt squat: 315x3, 315x1, 2 x 315x8, 2 x 315x5
Snatch grip row w/ 3ct-pause: 3 x 225x8
Face pulls: 3 x (purple band)x15

The belt squats with the barbell are more awkward and dangerous and inconsistent feeling than I expected. I'll have to get used to them some before going too hard.